This invention relates generally to locator systems and more particularly concerns real time locators using signals which are not interrupted by line of sight obstacles.
There is a need in the art for a mobile building positioning system that can provide a user with exact directions to a specific location or locations input as one or more destinations; or provide a user's position within a building, or locate a specific items, place(s) or thing within a building and or facility. Current options exclude the economical or practical use of any system relying on the commonly used technology available from GPS because of the limitations of “line of sight” which is obstructed by the physical properties of a building. Other systems available now all have similar limitations. For instance, a “way-finding” system like is in use in many hospitals, consists of computer monitors/kiosks located at primary locations within the building which can be accessed by a user to print out a map from his location to a specific location programmed into the system. This system has inherent limitations in that the user must interpret the paper map with no ‘on-going’ dialog or input along the pathway as to correct or incorrect selections of turns or travel. Also, the user of this system must, on his/her own logic, determine the progression of any route and final destination without any further feedback or interaction from the way-finding system. This results in misinterpretations and errors by users causing a failure in the user's travel within a building to the desired location. Also, because there is no process for any feedback en-route, the user, many times, does not even know he has made a mistake until he fails to find the desired end location. This can be time consuming and provide frustration to a user who is likely unfamiliar with the actual routes available surrounding their current building and/or facility location. Systems like the “Way-Finder” systems relies heavily on the ability of the user to interpret the map correctly and identify on his own specific building visual cues. Global Position Systems are not usable within a building or facility due to the lack of “line-of-sight” to multiple satellite locations indoors. Radio-frequency triangulation (“RFT”) systems also have limitations that are overcome by the invention. RFT's require major installation of wiring throughout a building, causing disruption and damage to walls, ceilings, floors, and other wired devices; and require fixed radio frequency transceivers which must be attached to walls and/or ceilings. These fixed monitors must operate based on a control system that take up value building and telecommunication space. RFT's also rely on the continuous ‘beaming’ of radio frequency throughout the building for use, whether needed at that moment or not. Also, coverage with RFT's rely on overlapping coverage areas, RTS's can leave gaps in coverage, and usually require that people be showered with RF on a constant basis. Current applications of RFID only contemplate the use of ‘portal’ technology, where the only information provided by a tag is whether or not a user or item has gone through a portal.
An inertial guidance system is practically cost prohibitive and must be calibrated frequently and even when correctly calibrated suffers from ‘drift’ complications, prohibiting precise locations and lacks feedback from actual building identifier locations.
With the establishment and advancements of such technology as RFID technology, unique locations within a building can be assigned an exact identifier that can be associated in a logical computer data base creating a grid pattern for the entire building that correlates to the actual physical properties of any building.